UK electricity in 2017
How Great Britain made its electricity in 2017, from 365 days of half-hourly data.
In 2017, gas made 40% of Britain's electricity, ahead of nuclear (22%). Renewables made 20% (up from 14% in 2016), and the average carbon intensity was 240 g/kWh.
3 of 365 days were coal-free.
Electricity generated each day in 2017
GWh a day
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the numbers
- Nuclear
- Gas
- Hydro
- Imports
- Biomass
- Pumped storage
- Wind
- Solar
- Coal
- Other
Share of electricity, by source
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the numbers
Carbon intensity
g CO₂ per kWh, daily average
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2017 in total
| Source | Electricity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 119.2 TWh | 39.7% |
| Nuclear | 65.6 TWh | 21.8% |
| Wind | 44.2 TWh | 14.7% |
| Coal | 20.6 TWh | 6.9% |
| Imports | 19.5 TWh | 6.5% |
| Other | 12.2 TWh | 4.1% |
| Solar | 10.5 TWh | 3.5% |
| Hydro | 3,960 GWh | 1.3% |
| Pumped storage | 2,743 GWh | 0.9% |
| Biomass | 2,222 GWh | 0.7% |
| Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, biomass) | 20.2% | |
| Low carbon (renewable plus nuclear) | 42.0% |
Standout days
- Windiest day275.6 GWh of windFri, 8 December 2017
- Highest wind share33.9%Sun, 24 December 2017
- Sunniest day76.2 GWh of solarFri, 26 May 2017
- Cleanest day110 g/kWh averageSun, 11 June 2017
- Dirtiest day393 g/kWh averageTue, 17 January 2017
- Busiest day1069.3 GWh in totalThu, 26 January 2017
Month by month
| Month | Total | Wind | Gas | Nuclear | Solar | Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2017 | 30.4 TWh | 11% | 43% | 18% | 1% | 340 g |
| February 2017 | 26.0 TWh | 15% | 36% | 21% | 1% | 293 g |
| March 2017 | 26.8 TWh | 14% | 40% | 21% | 3% | 238 g |
| April 2017 | 23.4 TWh | 13% | 42% | 22% | 6% | 213 g |
| May 2017 | 23.5 TWh | 12% | 40% | 24% | 6% | 211 g |
| June 2017 | 22.1 TWh | 15% | 37% | 27% | 6% | 193 g |
| July 2017 | 22.5 TWh | 12% | 39% | 24% | 6% | 208 g |
| August 2017 | 22.3 TWh | 12% | 36% | 26% | 6% | 199 g |
| September 2017 | 22.6 TWh | 15% | 39% | 25% | 4% | 220 g |
| October 2017 | 24.8 TWh | 21% | 40% | 23% | 2% | 208 g |
| November 2017 | 27.5 TWh | 17% | 42% | 18% | 2% | 279 g |
| December 2017 | 28.6 TWh | 18% | 39% | 18% | 1% | 283 g |